Good Reads

This book is available for the iPad and other e-readers, so you can have it right now! What's Your Strategic Heartbeat? is more like a long article than a book. But it has some solid tips and inspiring thoughts about cultivating new ideas and innovation out of one's true brand essence.

At MB Piland, we know that when communications and promotions are created as an outgrowth of your brand's "soul," they really click. That's because they're really authentic. We help clients figure that out all the time, because it can be hard to see inside yourself without some good diagnostics. Luther's book helps you see how he identified this soul—what he calls Strategic Heartbeat—and used it to take his companies to great new heights. This is good for self-examination. —Martha

 

 

At MB Piland, we know that listening is a critical ingredient in great account leadership. We also know it's a skill that's intentionally developed. We ask lots of questions, listen between the lines, then ask again to be sure we've asked the right questions.

We also find that asking questions of all the right people is important. Clients, of course—but customers, referral sources, distributors, bloggers—and others will also tell us a lot if we just pay attention and listen. This gives us a much more accurate view of what's really going on "out there."

It's the highest praise when a client says "How did you know that's exactly what I wanted? I didn't even know." That means we're doing our job. Today's Harvard Business Review features an article by John Baldoni on asking better questions. It's a worthwhile read. —Martha

A book I pick up again and again. My friend Patti Bossert is a very successful businesswoman. She recommended this book to me and I confess I still have her copy. Subtitled "a little book that teaches you when to quit (and when to stick)" the dip offers insights into whether that setback is merely a temporary occurrance, or a Cul-de-Sac that you will never leave, no matter how hard you try.

Godin says what sets superstars apart from the rest of the pack is their ability to recognize and escape dead ends quickly—moving on to achievements that really matter. Contrary to the adage, Godin says winners do quit. They quit fast—and often—because they recognize where their effortts are better spent. This is a quick read that provokes self examination in a new light. —Martha

Today, a good article on saying no to a request for an introduction. Sometimes, it's hard to know how to handle a request you don't feel comfortable facilitating. Here are some tips to  help you be honest, straightforward, and helpful! Read it here. And consider signing up for HBR's regular updates. We can always use more tools for being smarter and more innovative.

A good article on the blog Innovate on Purpose suggests that thriving companies are consciously designing their service and customer experience...not just their product. At MB Piland, when we think about a client's marketing, the overall experience they deliver to their customer is always a key part of what we examine—and make recommendations to address. What's the total experience? How are they treated when they interact with your company? How do they feel when they interact with your product? I've always felt that if you overlook these things, you're missing something that can critically set you apart.

"People today are looking for an experience to go with the product they are buying. The product by itself is not enough. There is a distinction now between an 'adjective' brand and a 'fact' brand. The iPhone is an adjective brand, Blackberry is a fact brand," says Jeffrey Phillips. "Want a simple, powerful and sustainable innovation? Design the customer's experience to delight and sustain the customer, rather than spending all your innovation effort on the speeds and feeds." We couldn't agree more!

You can read the whole story at this link. –Martha

Being a manager can be really tough, whether it's for a huge department—or a small group of people. David C. Baker has just published a book called Managing Right for the First Time that has excellent food for thought and self-examination. Though it's written with ad agencies as a backdrop, It's smart reading for anyone who wants to be a better manager. Here are a few points from the book I think are important to share:

You need a marketing plan. Baker says you must have a marketing plan for promoting your business to prospective employees even before you need them. (I loved reading this, and he's right!) If we're thinking our customers are solely the people who buy our product or service—and forget our internal customers—we're missing something Big. We all know we're only as good as our people. Let's act like we know it.

With the introduction of Facebook and Twitter, have you found yourself mentally condensing events into quick-witted status updates and tweets, as they happen... rephrasing in your mind a few times before settling on a string of 25 words with the most impact? Sometimes I even make a little guess of how many responses I might get for each post. 

The well-known technology blog, LifeHacker, recently posted an article suggesting you take your Tweeting abilities into your email correspondence for the most impact. We think this is an excellent tool when reaching out to new contacts who may overlook a bulky introduction. Below is a short excerpt from the article:

At a recent Advertising Age Digital Conference, the Chief Creative Officer for Microsoft said, "The single most important piece for success for agencies we work with is actually orchestration. Account management is the most important function in our agencies, not creative."

We agree. At MB Piland, strategy and account leadership come first. You might ask yourself if your agency is focusing on all aspects of your marketing communications. Do you have work fragmented between multiple agencies and departments in order to save money? You may be also be fragmenting your messaging and missing out on opportunities to maximize your budget. Strong and smart orchestration means your message is more powerful, stretching your marketing dollars. Now that's music to anyone's ears!

Read more about this in Advertising Age. —Alex

Here's an interesting article from the BBC that details how researchers used tags to track eels' migration. Scientists found the eels use ocean currents to help them zip to a seemingly impossible destination and back. They swim out of their way to find the currents that will sweep them across the Atlantic. I think it's a good reminder to all of us that often we have to think differently - sometimes zig-zagging - to attack a problem that at first appears unsolvable. —Martha

A book that I LOVE and refer to often. It's not restricted to women, it applies to everyone. It talks about how to hone and adapt your creativity so the juices flow. Creativity as a process is often defined or described in the academic community as a holistic one, however, we live in a very linear world. "The Woman's Book of Creativity" for me, connects the holistic and the linear to provide clarity on the best ways to remain creative yet productive. Its full of tips and exercises on how to look at problems from a different angle, think outside the box and do it in a way that's true to you.

A favorite of mine. In a nutshell, Paco Underhill and his researchers spent 20 years in stores observing interaction between shoppers and store. He identifies the "butt-brush factor" (bumped from behind, shoppers become irritated and move on). They've quantified the importance of shopping baskets, "circulation patterns" (how shoppers move throughout a store) and much more.

This is not a new book, but is a wealth of knowledge I think is applicable to all kinds of businesses—not just retail.